Opera Software ASA released a new version of its mini browser for mobile phones Tuesday.
The free Opera Mini 3.0 makes it easier to post photos to Web journals from a handset and enhances security for banking and shopping by encrypting information, the company said.
It also supports Really Simple Syndication, a technology that notifies users when Web sites are updated.
The Oslo-based company first released Opera Mini in January. Opera said about 8 million people downloaded the earlier versions in the first 10 months.
"I think the main reason for Mini's success is that it, for the first time, allows millions of people to use their mobile phones to access the same Web sites they do from their desktop," said company Chief Executive Jon von Tetzchner.
Opera's browser has won praise as being fast and compact, and has been gaining ground in mobile phones and handheld computers.
